Blog

• Quartz crystal resonator technology relies on the remarkable properties of quartz for its operation. When placed into an electronic circuit a quartz crystal acts as a tuned circuit. However it has an exceptionally high Q.

• The electrical signals are converted from their electrical form into mechanical vibrations. It is these vibrations that are affected by the mechanical resonances of the quartz crystal and then linked back into electrical system.

• When placed into an electronic circuit a quartz crystal acts as a tuned circuit. However it has an exceptionally high Q. Ordinary LC tuned circuits may exhibit values of a few hundred if carefully designed and constructed, but quartz crystals exhibit values of up to 100 000.

A quartz crystal is a crystal, not an oscillator. To produce oscillation, the crystal must be incorporated into a circuit that has the typical characteristics exhibited by oscillator circuits, namely, amplification and feedback.

Quartz crystal resonator technology relies on the remarkable properties of quartz for its operation. When placed into an electronic circuit a quartz crystal acts as a tuned circuit. However it has an exceptionally high Q.

The operation of the quartz crystal is based around the fact that quartz exhibits the piezo-electric effect. This means that when a stress is set up a cross the crystal, an electromotive force or electric potential is seen. The reverse is also true, then when a potential is applied across the crystal, it deflects slightly.

When placed into an electronic circuit a quartz crystal acts as a tuned circuit. However it has an exceptionally high Q. Ordinary LC tuned circuits may exhibit values of a few hundred if carefully designed and constructed, but quartz crystals exhibit values of up to 100 000.